title: Reclaiming the morbidity and mortality conference: between Codman and Kundera.
abstract: In recent years, a number of commentators have voiced unease about the direction and format of the Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conference. Drawing on historical, literary and philosophical perspectives, and detailing the recent shift towards incorporating systems-based approaches to healthcare safety into the M&M, this article explores the nature and purpose of the M&M conference. It is argued that improving future health outcomes is insufficient as the goal of the conference. Instead, transcending hubris should be an endorsed objective. This paper aims to provide a definition and philosophical framework for the M&M conference.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA. v-prasad@md.northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D003226:Congresses as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010686:Philosophy, Medical